


Numbered Days

by limeta



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Voldemort Wins, Arithmancy (Harry Potter), Dolores Umbridge is Her Own Warning, Gen, Harry Potter is a Horcrux, Hogwarts Fifth Year, Prophecy, The Golden Trio Era (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:34:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24865384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/limeta/pseuds/limeta
Summary: Harry Potter wished that there was an adult that was actually there to help him, not just pretend to hear him out and do their own thing while waiting for Voldemort to attack Harry again. Unfortunately the only person that seemed to fit this criteria was Abraxas Malfoy.
Relationships: Abraxas Malfoy & Harry Potter, Abraxas Malfoy/Tom Riddle, Harry Potter & Tom Riddle | Voldemort
Comments: 14
Kudos: 214





	Numbered Days

Coming face to face with Lord Voldemort was an experience that left Harry petrified. Even without the stone statue holding him in place in the graveyard his feet would have been cut off sharply by fear’s blade.

The horrendous lord’s appearance was monstrous, far more than it had been while Voldemort paraded as a wraith on the back of Quirrel’s head. Slowly he took a hold of Harry’s chin and forced their eyes to meet.

His lips moved and the tone of voice he used was calm, yet chilling. ’’What a strange person you have grown into, Harry Potter... These people have lifted you to be a folk hero, but no fabled hero squirms helplessly. This is not a fairy-tale, child. You cannot win against Lord Voldemort.’’ There was something akin to pity in his eyes, crimson and inhuman as they were. It rattled Harry harsher than any cruciatus had.

That night ended in Cedric’s death, Harry’s ultimate survival, and Lord Voldemort looking at him peculiarly. It was as if his curiosity had been piqued for the first time, but – from a different angle, it also looked like he wanted nothing more than to go and retire for the night.

Harry Potter arrived at Hogwarts to a wailing Amos Diggory clutching onto his son’s frail, lifeless body. The cacophony surrounding him was too great. Scarcely, he was able to see Hermione and Ron rushing towards him. They elbowed the masses and shoved them away, but it was Minerva McGonagall that got to him first in the crowd. She looked him over quickly and pulled him to his feet to make proper sure that nothing was out of place. But everything was. Harry still shook from the cruciatus, but that petrifying gaze of a Basilisk bathed in his own blood was far worse.

Hermione hugged him tightly and helped him to the Common Room. He was shaking the entire climb. Ron was nearby to hold his other side. It was comforting, being between both of his friends like this. Lord Voldemort was back and he was capable of horrific things. Harry had seen them first hand. And he would never forget with which ease he’d commanded Cedric’s death, nor would he ever allow himself to forget how easily he’d caused Harry pain.

That night he couldn’t sleep. Nightmarish shakes shocked through him. Sweat enveloped him and caused him to breathe shallowly. Tears dried on his cheeks and he realised that this was all very, very real. Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters were not hypothetical any longer, nor where they far away and waiting for opportunity.

Still, the Dursleys somehow managed to be the bigger evil still.

The Dementors attacked Dudley and him. Harry shot the patronus charm and dispersed them, but he had to go to the Ministry to await trial. It felt like he was a fish out of water being forced to sing like a nightingale while the wizards and witches of the Ministry asked him questions. A toad of a woman was the most persistent to see him thrown behind bars.

Albus Dumbledore saved him. His presence was unrivalled and undisputed. Harry was grateful to him. Umbridge called him insane and disturbed and obviously ill because of the way he held himself poorly. She gestured what she called the tell-tale signs of hysteria that adorned his face in the form of deep eye-rings. Harry really wished he could speak in his own defence, but no proper word came to mind when it came to this woman nor the rest of the mages present.

On their way outside, however, Harry spotted a Malfoy he had not had the misfortune of meeting. He wasn’t Lucius because Lucius would never be caught dead wearing something so colourful (were those peacock feathers? And a stark pink boa?). Nor was he Draco because he was much, much older. The Malfoy turned around and speared him with an incomprehensibly giddy look. Silver met green and Harry couldn’t look away. It was the first time he’d felt wholly frightened looking into such a colour. There was something arcane in the way the man held himself.

Professor Dumbledore saw where Harry’s gaze strayed and decided to explain: ’’Abraxas Malfoy, he’s Lucius Malfoy’s father.’’

Abraxas Malfoy waved at Harry. It was both a pleasant wave while at the same time promising nothing good to come were they to speak. Harry was beginning to hate how much he had to keep his tongue civil between his teeth. It grated on his nerves. Albus Dumbledore ignored his charge’s feelings and told him to hurry. ’’We must not dilly dally here.’’ He spoke of the Ministry as if it were a den full of snakes. ’’But the peacocks,’’ Albus added, ’’now you may think they are your allies because they eat snakes, but they are not to be trusted.’’

Harry nodded. ’’All right, professor.’’

Albus’ eyes twinkled. But his gaze did harden when he saw Abraxas Malfoy smiling at them. He was speaking with Fudge about things Harry couldn’t hear. He figured it was nothing good for him and his side. A Malfoy was not good. It was in their name, after all.

* * *

Sirius told him about Abraxas Malfoy. ’’Ah, Harry, he is... fickle.’’

’’What’s that mean?’’ Harry knew what the word meant, but he couldn’t understand what that meant for Abraxas Malfoy. He had seemed very sure of himself in the Ministry. ’’Is he like Lucius?’’

’’No. Lucius is a stupid twat that follows orders and does as he’s told without complaint. He is a coward that fears You-Know-Who and kisses the hems of his robes with the same enthusiasm he might eat out Narcissa’s cunt.’’

Harry laughed at the description. Sirius was a very crude person that hid it from the others because Molly Weasley still managed to exude parental authority even to most adults. But when it was just Harry, he could see that Sirius was still trapped in those glory days before Azkaban had roughed him up. In a way that saddened him. It, also, scared him to think about how Azkaban had affected his godfather. Dogfather. Harry smiled at the pun.

’’Abraxas Malfoy,’’ Sirius continued, his expression grave then, ’’is not a Death Eater. Moody has tried to jail him many times, but he could never find any evidence of his allegiance. That’s because out of all of the sides that were birthed and destoryed during the war he has been on his own side. No matter who tried to sway him he would not budge. That’s the worst part about him.’’

’’There was magic around him.’’ After Harry’s stint in the graveyard he had become attuned to sensing magic. Perhaps the cruciatus curse had dislodged some blockade he’d had. But people’s magic smelled and danced and tasted differently. ’’It was very powerful.’’

’’There was once that I remember seeing him in battle when he’d been kidnapped by the aurors to hold over You-Know-Who’s head as leverage. He was tied and wandless, but Voldemort did not wait to be bartered with before sending a giant snake made out of fiendfyre in his direction. Abraxas had untied himself with magic and extinguished the entire creature with wandless augamenti. He had saved Alastor Moody’s life that day and the man begrudgingly still owes him a life debt.’’

’’Why did they think that Voldemort would yield when faced with Abraxas Malfoy?’’

’’My mother, that banshee of a woman, told me that they fuck. Apparently not enough well for You-Know-Who to care and save Abraxas.’’

Harry blinked and stared. Sirius laughed at him. ’’Come on, Harry, it’s the Twenty-Eight, we’re all fucking each other and getting fucked over by each other. It comes with the territory.’’

It was hard to come to terms with that. But out of all of the Malfoys and adults Harry had encountered it looked like Abraxas Malfoy was the only one who wasn’t easy to intimidate or even worry by mentioning You-Know-Who or the upcoming war.

Harry hoped, also, that their paths would not cross.

Lo and behold Septima Vector moved away from Europe due to the current political situation. The Arithmancy post became empty alongside the DADA post (though, that one had become common place to fill each year anew).

Harry dreamed of a life where he could have one year of school without worrying that a professor was out to kill him. He confided with Hermione that he didn’t like to think about why a Malfoy was teaching.

’’It’s clear nepotism.’’ Hermione had different problems with seeing a Malfoy at Hogwarts. ’’Lucius Malfoy is on the Board of Governors, Harry. This is clear nepotism!’’ She was very adamant that this was unfair.

Out of the three of them only Hermione would have Abraxas Malfoy as the arithmancy professor. Ron and Harry took Divination. Harry noticed how shaky and frightened Sybil Trelawney was around Abraxas.

Compared to Abraxas Malfoy’s arrival – the pink woman seemed practically normal in comparison to their dress code.

’’Are those stripes over dots?’’ Ron gawked. He looked towards the Slytherin table and saw Draco pretending like his grandfather did not exist to embarrass his usually put-together family.

Abraxas allowed Umbridge to hold her introductory speech first and after that disaster of Ministry pandering was finished, Abraxas took the stage and said: ’’Hello, children! My name is Abraxas Malfoy, I shall be teaching Arithmancy and I do actually expect you all to pay attention.’’ The students who had Arithmancy worried what would happen if they didn’t. It didn’t look like Abraxas would just take away points or give detention. He had a very dominant and powerful energy that he exuded. ’’For everyone taking OWL Arithmancy and NEWT Arithmancy I will organize special classes outside of regular ones to prepare you better. These are mandatory. I do not care if you have quidditch or a snog planned for some closet somewhere on the fourth floor.’’

Most of the professors were at this point gawking. Umbrdige looked like she was going to get an enyurism, but she bit through her tongue to stop herself from interrupting. He appeared to be untouchable. Even Dumbledore did not speak up when Abraxas added: ’’For those who switch over from Divination to Arithmancy I will give a guaranteed O.’’

Sybil Trelawney squeaked in protest. Abraxas simply silenced her with a smile.

Fred raised his hand.

’’Yes, Weasley?’’ Abraxas squinted. ’’My you look a lot like Sextus Weasley. He was my upperclassmen. Liked to prank students, are you the inheritors of that practise?’’

’’Sure are!’’ George added.

’’Oh goodness there are two of you.’’ Abraxas laughed. ’’What fun!’’

’’Um, Professor Malfoy,’’

’’Perish the thought, child. Professor Malfoy was my great great great great grandmother. Call me Professor Abraxas.’’

’’Right. Are you joking about the guaranteed O?’’

’’No, no. I am serious. I shall sweeten the pot even. You haven’t got to come to a single lesson as long as you steer clear from Divination. Now that branch of magic is very, very innacurate and has hurt much smarter and older mages than impressionable children.’’ Sagely Abraxas nodded.

Dumbledore kept completely silent. Sybil tried squeaking again. Umbridge did not know what to say, nor if she was allowed to say anything.

Fred sat down. ’’Thanks, sir!’’ He had a wide grin on his face that said that he and George were going to switch over to Arithmancy. Ron looked at Harry.

Hermione gawked. ’’You two aren’t really going to switch, are you?’’

Harry looked at Abraxas Malfoy and wondered was he really that stupid to fall into this trap?

One potions lesson later Harry realised that he was going to fail that bloody class and that he really needed to even out his average. ’’Oh for fuck’s sake.’’

He signed the paper to switch over to the Arithmancy class. He needed that O. Ron followed after him. ’’Blimey, I’m not going to look at tea leaves all by myself.’’

Hermione huffed. ’’Arithmancy is a very serious subject. You two won’t be able to lollygag as you have during Divination. Entering it in your fifth year is very much unprecedented and difficult. You will be behind everyone else!’’

Harry and Ron grinned. ’’If we don’t understand something we’ll ask you.’’

Hermione looked uncomfortable. Not by helping her friends, but by having a Malfoy to teach. ’’I hope he won’t bring his prejudice into the classroom.’’

’’If he does we’ll curse him.’’ Ron said resolutely. Hermione smiled. Harry nodded.

* * *

When Harry dreamed he dreamed of dreadful things. He wasn’t getting much sleep.

Dumbledore avoided him. Umbridge outward hated him. Abraxas sought him out.

Harry went to Arithmancy lessons because Hermione made him. ’’I need the support.’’ She fretted. ’’Malfoy takes the class, too. I cannot be alone if they gang up on me.’’

It was the first time that Harry really understood how difficult it was for muggleborns.

Abraxas Malfoy, true to Hermione’s expectations, asked for all of the muggleborns to raise their hand.

’’Oh come on, I’m doing statistics.’’ Abraxas encouraged them when no one raised their hand. ’’I know for a fact that this girl next to Harry Potter is the one that punched my grandson in the face.’’

Hermione inhaled sharply. Draco slid further into his seat.

A bunch of muggleborns finally raised their hands.

’’Oh this is a sad number. Only four of you. All right, I suppose. Call your parents or write them and tell them to buy you an introductory book about calculus. I’ll pay you back, I just can’t be arsed to go to muggle London for something so inane. If they can afford it maybe they could buy a couple surplus to share around the class. You all know how to multiply up to 100 and I refuse to allow such ignorance to fester further.’’

’’What about the book we have set out for this year already?’’ Pansy Parkinson asked.

Abraxas shrugged. ’’Give it to someone you don’t like as a gift.’’

’’Hey, hey, Granger.’’

Hermione turned. ’’What, Parkinson?’’

’’Here’s a book.’’ Parkinson gave Hermione the arithmancy book. More Slytherins followed suit. Hermione didn’t know what to do with so many books.

Abraxas stopped her from donating them to the library. ’’Analyse if you’ll need them via arithmancy.’’

Harry found out that the more he let Abraxas talk about math (Ron was freaking out that he’d signed up for something much more difficult than tea leaves and bullshiting essays) the more Abraxas Malfoy made sense.

This was the third professor that ever made sense to Harry (after Minerva McGonagall and Remus Lupin). It made his life confusing because he was beginning to like Draco Malfoy’s grandfather. This was the worst thing to ever happen to him (upon revision he realised that there were a lot worse things that had happened to him, but Harry reserved his right for dramaticism given his teenhood years)

’’Are you dyslexic?’’ Abraxas asked Ron after he’d seen the man struggling with the reading material.

Ron sputtered, ready to get attacked. ’’What’s it to you?’’

Abraxas’ face grew into a wide, wide grin. ’’There’s a spell that reads you the material. Mon chou invented it for me because I quote him here: Abraxas, I am juggling 12 NEWTS, I do not have the time to read you these instructions – here I’ve spent seventeen hours devising a spell that could help you.’’ He paused, for a moment. ’’That man never did let me live it down that he got a low O in Transfiguration because he was not as prepared because of me.’’ Then squinted, as if trying to recall his friend. ’’I hope he remembers to feed my peafowls.’’

Draco had packed his bag and asked if he could go to the bathroom.

Abraxas let him go. Draco did not return. He was too mortified.

’’Strange boy.’’ Abraxas clucked his tongue. Then he returned to teaching.

* * *

Ron said that the spell made learning so much easier. ’’I have more time to actually write my essays now.’’ He sheepishly admitted. ’’Why don’t people tell you that there are spells like that?’’

’’Because it’s an original spell that’s not public.’’

’’Yeah, by the Monchou guy?’’ Harry said.

’’Harry,’’ Hermione sighed, ’’Mon chou is a pet name. It isn’t a name.’’

Harry narrowed his eyes at that. ’’Wot, really?’’

’’Yes.’’

’’Malfoy’s grandpa’s gay?’’

’’I mean...’’ Hermione waved her hands about, ’’haven’t you seen him?’’

’’It isn’t nice to stereotype...’’

Hermione wished to apologize, but then not far away from them they heard Abraxas Malfoy shout: ’’OF COURSE I KNOW WHO ABBA ARE, MR AND MR WEASLEY – WHO DO YOU TAKE ME FOR?!’’

* * *

Harry continued to dream frightening things.

Umbridge continued being a pain in the arse.

Abraxas Malfoy continued intimidating everyone that didn’t pay attention in his class.

* * *

Sirius told him that Abraxas was his legal guardian if his parents died. ’’My mother and he were very close friends. I suppose out of the entire lot if the Potters wouldn’t have taken me in I would have no other choice but to beg him for help.’’

’’Would he have helped?’’ Harry asked. He whispered in the evenings when nobody but him was awake.

’’Yeah.’’ Sirius said after a pause. ’’Yeah, he would have. I didn’t know at the time, but he would have helped because he’s the only good Malfoy.’’

’’Good? I thought you said he wasn’t on anyone’s side?’’

’’Even the good guys aren’t good all the time, Harry. You need to find a balance between good and evil. It’s hard and you have to fight your impulses and dark thoughts constantly.’’

* * *

Harry fell asleep in Arithmancy once because if he did it anywhere else he would probably need to do detention or make up for lost points – but Abraxas just ignored him. He didn’t believe that professors had any idea what students went through in their age and therefore he had set out to make a space where learning would be done, but really – if sometimes learning got side-tracked it wouldn’t be the end of the world.

’’Professors who take themselves too seriously are usually very very stupid and don’t know how to teach.’’

* * *

’’I AM VERY, VERY SERIOUS AND YOU WILL OBEY ME!’’

Umbridge howled at the assembly.

Not far away from her, Abraxas Malfoy leaned towards Harry Potter and said: ’’See.’’

Harry nodded. He inched away from the man. ’’Yes, sir.’’

’’Do you have trouble sleeping?’’

’’Pardon?’’

’’Do you have any odd dreams?’’ Abraxas asked.

Harry’s tongue turned to ash. He didn’t know if answering would be a good idea or if not. Dumbledore had been driven out of school. Snape was losing his mind and giving out harsher and harsher punishments (it was like he was growing more paranoid), and Umbridge was enacting weirder and weirder rules around the school.

’’Why, sir?’’

Harry expected people to lie to him, as most adults did. Only Sirius treated him like an adult. Abraxas followed along with that. ’’I have a source that tells me you spoke to a snake once in a zoo and that you often got a beating from some walrus sized muggles?’’

Was this really the first time that an adult had brought up the Dursleys without telling him that he had to endure all of this torture for the greater good. Abraxas’ silver eyes flickered curiously when Harry’s mouth twitched. He balled his hands into fists and looked away. That gaze was far too intense to hold contact for long. It was inhuman, much alike how the crimson eyes had been at the graveyard.

’’You didn’t have a room for yourself until you were eleven.’’ Abraxas continued speaking. It was the tone of voice that cracked something deep inside of Harry. No adult had ever been so non-judgemental. Nobody had actually listened and told Harry that they heard and understood where he had to go back to every summer. ’’And your hair grew back magically every time your aunt cut it.’’

’’How do you know any of this?’’

’’No, no.’’ Abraxas grabbed a hold of Harry by the underarm and pulled him from the room and Umbridge’s hateful speech. They went to his office and only after Abraxas spelled the door shut did he tell him. ’’Now you are going to tell me the things _you_ know from your source.’’

’’I- er- I don’t get it.’’

Abraxas tilted his head. ’’Think about it,’’ he told him. ’’Take a seat! Goodness, don’t stand around like that. Sit, sit.’’ Harry sat down across from Abraxas. His office wasn’t familiarized nor decorated how the other professors’ offices were. It wasn’t lived in, so to speak.

’’You aren’t staying for next year?’’

’’Hm. No.’’ Abraxas said. ’’Teaching doesn’t interest me. I’m just here to keep an eye out on Snape.’’

’’Why Snape?’’

’’He’s a dear family friend and I’m worried for him.’’ Abraxas said. Harry couldn’t tell if he lied. The older wizard rummaged through a couple of drawers at his desk and took out a couple of numbered sweets. They were from 1-9. ’’Pick one, pick one.’’ Harry took the one with the number 6 on it.

Abraxas screeched with laughter. This startled Harry who choked on the sweet. It tasted like orange juice did after someone brushed their teeth. That made him gag harder.

’’Harry, do tell me what do you dream of?’’

Harry dreamt of shapelessness and pain that cascaded through him. He dreamt of cauldrons and snakes. He dreamt of a world bathed in blood. He didn’t dream often. ’’Why do you want to know?’’

’’Do you want my help or not?’’ Abraxas asked. He dropped the endearing, airy-professor-like tone he reserved for the classroom and whenever he had to speak about airy-professor-like topics. This voice was arcane, how Harry imagined the man sounded like truly.

’’Professor Dumbledore-’’

’’Is gone. Not for long, but for now. Do you want my help? If you don’t,’’ Abraxas shrugged and leaned back in his chair, ’’no harm done, really. I won’t mind. You’ll have lost your only chance to survive Umbridge and learn valuable intel on Tom Riddle. But do go on, if you like. I won’t mind if you keep your secrets.’’ He smiled at Harry, showing off teeth that looked misplaced on a human being. Somehow, Harry wondered if they had been jagged.

Hermione had done some digging and realised that the Malfoys, Lovegoods, and Ollivanders were the three Fairy blooded families in Great Britain. It could be the reason – no, it _was_ the reason why Harry was so wary around Abraxas. This blood had petered out with Lucius and Draco, but in Abraxas it still seemed to flow fiercely. He was a descendant of fairies that married into the Malfoy family and blessed them with precision and skill.

It would explain why Abraxas was such a powerful wizard, as well as a precise Arithmancy master. He said that Seers didn’t exist unless they were fairies themselves. Divination was not a thing humans could tap into and that teaching it was a waste of time. Arithmancy was a better alternative. It seized the powers of intuition and assigned meaning and crafted beautiful symphonies of probability.

Harry told Abraxas what he dreamed.

’’Number six indeed.’’ Abraxas plopped the sweet with the number four into his mouth and said. ’’Well, Harry, I’ll settle this.’’

’’You will?’’

He nodded. ’’Mhm.’’

Harry slumped in his chair. ’’You’ll settle what exactly? Umbridge?’’

’’Umbridge, Tom, Dumbledore, your relatives. All of it.’’ Abraxas said. He didn’t sound like he was boasting or making false promises like Gilderoy Lockhart. Harry blinked at such confidence.

’’Why?’’

’’Because, Harry, you have fallen victim to a terrible – horrible – utterly disastrous branch of magic which if I could have my way I would have abolished!’’

And that was how Harry learned of the Prophecy that ruined his life.

Abraxas claimed that it wasn’t real. ’’Sybil Trelawney made it!’’

Harry remembered Hermione’s reaction to Divination; everybody’s utter disappointment in Trelawney as an educator and Seer; and how much Arithmancy made sense compared to frivolous and make-believe nonsense. He didn’t know why exactly he began to cry, but it could have been that the stress of his life finally got to him.

Abraxas silently stood up from his side of the desk and crossed over to him without Harry even noticing. All he did notice was how Abraxas pulled him into a hug and told him, very carefully: ‘’Oh hush, child. It is insane to expect the world of you. Why, when I was your age I was distraught and hormonal and to be perfectly frank with you, Harry, I hardly had any pressure when compared to what you’re going through.’’

Harry screwed his eyes shut and tried to calm down, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t let go of the fact that there was a possibility his parents had died for nothing, because of a prophecy that was fake. His abuse at the Dursleys could have been avoided. All of it could have never happened. ‘’Is it true – what you said – at a _job_ interview?’’ He inhaled sharply at each break, unable to calm down. His chest constricted.

Abraxas held him even tighter. ‘’I promise you,’’ his magic thrummed through Harry and Abraxas both, ‘’Harry Potter, you will not need to play the sacrificial lamb any longer.’’

Harry had been promised many things by adults and he could count how many times it had been followed through with on one hand – but he believed Abraxas Malfoy when he promised him this. ‘’Thank you, sir.’’

Abraxas looked at him with such a sad gaze when their eyes met when they parted from the hug. ‘’You do not have to thank me for being a decent human being, Harry.’’

Harry didn’t know how to reply to that. So he didn’t.

The way Abraxas carded through his hair gently and held him was the most Harry had ever been comforted. Was it really that easy? Had nobody really thought to do this little for Harry?

* * *

That night he dreamt of a lighter place. It was a tall, twisting forest, but it had small spheres of light that cast light on a pathway made out of stone. Harry chose to traverse it. He saw three people at the end of the pathway, but he woke up then to hear Ron saying how Umbridge had made a new rule about not being able to be near a girl. ‘’Blimey, doesn’t she know gay people exist, Harry?’’

Harry figured that if Dolores Umbridge still kept hitting on Abraxas Malfoy (known divorcee to a French woman that lived in France with her various lovers and flaunted this fact in his sad, lonely face constantly – Abraxas had once talked about his woeful fate during class; it had been one to remember), then she didn’t understand how Abraxas Malfoy was severely disinterested in women.

He was disinterested in women, but he kept saying that he liked women as people. ‘’They’re neat.’’ Abraxas had said. ‘’Like a martini.’’ He further explained. Then backtracked. ‘’Wait, no, that’s not how the pun goes, is it?’’ He narrowed his eyes and tried to think back on it. ‘’Mon chou really knew how to make fun of my divorce.’’

Draco had switched over from Arithmancy to Ancient Runes. He couldn’t handle the class when Abraxas had kept talking about correlating one’s numerological pathway to quidditch outcomes and how people with Draco’s number were just not meant to be Seekers. Harry had laughed his arse off. Draco had fumed and said that he was never coming back to this class.

They all carried the muggle textbooks Hermione’s parents had supplied them with. Hermione still fumed whenever she saw Abraxas. He’d given her a thousand galleons and when Hermione gawked and told him she needed to give him the change – Abraxas Malfoy had shot up and exclaimed: ‘’Change? Preposterous thought! I am a very conservative man with ideas and notions that far exceed that of change! No change for me, thank you!’’

When Umbridge became Head Inquisitor she went to each class and tried to evaluate their work. Minerva and Snape had put her in her place (Harry had been surprised, but it seemed that no one liked the toad woman), but Abraxas just let the woman go about without telling her off or sarcastically replying.

At the end of the class Harry asked why he didn’t say anything.

‘’What is the point of wasting words with someone who is going to get all of their comeuppance in a couple of weeks, anyhow?’’

‘’Huh?’’ The entire class echoed.

Abraxas groaned. ‘’What am I teaching you children if you haven’t analysed any of your professors already?!’’

Hermione raised her hand. ‘’Yes, Granger Danger?’’

Abraxas had given them nicknames to better remember them. Harry’s nickname was Number Six. Nobody really got it. Abraxas found it hilarious every time he called on Sixer.

‘’Professor Abraxas, I did one for Snape and it says he’s going to die by the end of the year. Could you check it if it’s real?’’

Abraxas scrunched up his face. He moved to look at Hermione’s equations. He rearranged some things and said that Hermione had used an outdated formula. ‘’See, you were wrong by three weeks. He’s going to die _sooner_.’’

‘’This branch of magic is very dangerous.’’ Ron paled.

‘’You’ve been predicting each other’s deaths and maimings for years in that terrible woman’s class!’’

‘’Yes, but those were make-believe!’’ Pansy shrieked.

Abraxas Malfoy shrugged. ‘’Children, really. It is unexpected of you to be afraid of knowing the future. Embrace it. Go out there and gamble. Let the House win a couple of times or else you’ll get banned from Las Vegas for life, but other than that Arithmancy will allow you to get a lot of monetary gain! Moi? I am practically rolling in money on an everyday basis.’’

‘’Then why are you still here?’’ Hermione testily asked. ‘’Why haven’t you run like most other people have?’’

‘’Ah, mon chou is not well and I promised I’d see to him. And besides, multiple suitcase travel is stressful!’’ He explained. ‘’Not to mention that my peafowls would be incredibly said were I to leave them. No, I simply cannot part with them so quickly.’’ He crossed his arms and nodded curtly, having decided that the matter was finished. ‘’How dare you even suggest such a monstrous thing, Granger Danger?’’

Pansy raised her hand.

‘’Listen here, Girl Draco Likes, I truly do not care for your one liners.’’

Pansy lowered her hand.

‘’Who is mon chou?’’ Harry asked.

Abraxas said that it wasn’t any of their business who their beloved professor saw outside of class hours. ‘’I do not ask you these things.’’

‘’Probably someone ugly, but incredibly good at sex.’’ Goyle said outside of class when the OWL Arithmancy students had gotten together for a study session.

‘’Ha. Malfoys are all about aesthetics.’’ Pansy explained. Hermione snorted and asked if Draco was the exception that proved the rule then. Pansy grimaced at Hermione in retaliation and called her a bookworm that wouldn’t know a single thing about aesthetics.

Then Ravenclaw Patil (thus her nickname) reminded everyone that Hermione had snogged Viktor Krum. Gryffindor Patil high fived her.

‘’I think it’s someone in the Ministry.’’ Susan Bones said. She didn’t have a nickname because her nickname was pending thought.

‘’Oooh. Spicy.’’ Millicent Bulstrode said. Her nickname was A Proper Example Of A Cat Lady.

‘’Who do you think it is, Potter?’’ Theodore Nott asked.

Harry shrugged. ‘’I really don’t give it much thought. Maybe the Minister?’’

Instantly everyone’s gazes soured.

‘’Potter, really.’’

‘’Ew.’’

‘’Well, it isn’t nice to discuss tastes, is it?’’

‘’Granger, shut _Up_.’’

* * *

A couple of weeks later Snape wound up missing.

Hermione screamed. ‘’THIS IS ACCURATE?! I CAN PREDICT THE BLOODY FUTURE, HARRY! I AM **_UNSTOPPABLE_**!’’

Consequently enough Abraxas had taken a day off the day of Snape’s disappearance.

* * *

Harry dreamt of a man that looked a lot like Theodore Nott, except he looked more like a man that could be the Slytherin’s father. He was speaking from a book written in runes and casting powerful magic onto two hazy people.

* * *

Abraxas called Theodore Nott Theodore. ‘’Your father and I have been friends since infanthood. He worked very hard on your name and I shan’t tarnish it.’’

‘’He can’t have worked that hard for a plain name like Theodore.’’ Ron mumbled. Hermione giggled. Theodore glared.

Harry thought about Voldemort and allowed his own magic to guide him as he wrote the numbers and read their meaning.

He wasn’t very good at arithmancy and he hit a few bumps and at the end he didn’t have the courage to ask Abraxas to help him out with this. So he shoved the parchment roll into his bag and hoped to forget about it.

But against everything, Harry really hoped that Voldemort’s silence after the graveyard meant that the wizard was more man than monster and that he could be reasoned with. The cruciatus curse lodged itself deep within his brain, much deeper than any of Umbridge’s blood quill scars.

Abraxas laughed at something Susan Bones said and it was the kind of laugh that could combat a thousand boggarts. How could this person have ever been rumoured to be involved with Voldemort? Harry couldn’t understand it.

* * *

He dreamt of men dancing. The one Harry saw from his perspective was a younger Abraxas Malfoy. He looked the happiest he had ever seen him. ‘’Oh mon chou.’’ Abraxas wrapped his hands around Harry’s neck and brought them into a kiss.

Harry woke up and decided that he was _really_ hormonal.

‘’Fucking Merlin.’’ He whispered.

‘’Oh Rowena Ravenclaw, blimey.’’ Ron mumbled in his sleep. He’d become a bit obsessed with the woman’s portrait after having seen it near the Ravenclaw Common Room. ‘’I’ll answer any riddle you want me to.’’

* * *

Abraxas Malfoy didn’t smoke on principal. But when Harry found him on the Astronomy tower (he hadn’t searched him out; Harry had just needed a place to rest from his feelings and horrible anxiety) Abraxas Malfoy had a cigarette between his fingers leisurely. In a relaxed and poised manner he dropped the ash a mighty way down from the astronomy tower, all while sporting an expression that made him indifferent to the action. He smoked and when he exhaled he blew out intricate tendrils that took a life of their own, shifting how a patronus might. A small peacock made out of smoke flew around Abraxas and looked at Harry, outing his presence.

‘’Harry,’’ Abraxas called out, dispersing the peacock with frantic hand waves, ‘’come along. Sit down. Let us see the stars together and enjoy each other’s company. I imagine sleeping is difficult? Tell me about your dreams.’’

Harry would rather die than tell Abraxas Malfoy that he imagined them dancing in a forest and kissing. It was the most blissful dream he’d encountered. Harry was mortified just thinking that.

He scooted over to Abraxas and sat down. His feet kicked off from the ledge.

‘’Don’t jump off now.’’ Abraxas joked. ‘’Unless you know how to fly.’’

‘’No, ah. I won’t.’’ Harry whispered. He fidgeted and wished he’d brought a jacket. This was noticed by Abraxas, who spelled him warm with a warming charm. Harry hoped he’d get to the point in his life where he could grasp magic so easily.

‘’Do you want a cigarette?’’ Abraxas took out a cigarette box from his robe pocket and opened it up. They were slender and recently rolled. By the number of them Harry deduced that Abraxas didn’t smoke often.

‘’I’ve never smoked.’’

‘’Then don’t.’’ Abraxas closed the box right before Harry mustered up enough courage to get one. He must have looked dazed because Abraxas amended, ‘’Unless you’d like to try?’’ He opened the box again. Harry cracked a bemused smile and finally picked one cigarette up.

‘’Let me get that for you!’’ Abraxas snapped his fingers near the cigarette’s end and it lit on fire. Harry choked on the smoke as he tried to inhale.

‘’I shall be credited as giving the Boy Who Lived his first cigarette. Young man, make sure they put this on my gravestone!’’ He screeched out a laugh and then remembered what a loud man he was.

‘’Where’s Dumbledore gone?’’ Harry didn’t dilly dally with his questions. All of the other adults always lied (and Sirius was far away and probably didn’t know this). Abraxas Malfoy, as strange as it was to say it out loud, was the only adult in Harry’s life that properly wanted to fill him in.

‘’The Ministry officials have shooed him away. They think he’s training children to fight in an imaginary war, whilst really training you to usurp the Ministry. Fudge is a paranoid man. Lucius speaks to him often. I have made a promise to myself to never align with paranoid men. It has not aged well, that promise.’’ He told Harry to ash his cigarette else he’ll stain his robe.

Harry clumsily attempted to do this. Abraxas laughed at him. It wasn’t a mocking sort of laugh, really. Not how Vernon laughed at him. Abraxas took note of Harry’s newest scar and whispered a loathsome word under his mouth. ‘’Dolores gives herself too much freedom. I cannot wait until you do something about her.’’

‘’Me?’’

‘’You, and your little army.’’

Harry cursed. He had been so sure that no one would wise up and find out about the DA.

Abraxas grinned. ‘’I shall keep your secret, Harry. For a certain price.’’

‘’What?’’ Harry asked.

Abraxas’ smile widened and his eyes glowed in the midnight light. ‘’Accompany me someplace when I ask you to.’’

Harry nodded. He didn’t dare gather courage to inquire as to where Snape had gone and why Abraxas had taken a day off that exact day. It was something that he feared knowing.

He thought back on the graveyard and the words Voldemort had told him before he was reverted to a writhing mess of limbs aching and screaming in pain.

A hero like everyone believed he was would not have acted so cowardly…What kind of Gryffindor was he to not be so bold and heroic?

‘’Harry,’’ Abraxas drew him from his thoughts with a lilting and kind voice, ‘’you are not even an adult.’’

‘’It doesn’t matter.’’ Harry said. ‘’Everyone expects me to be better than this. Umbridge tells everyone I’m insane. Most of the school doesn’t believe me that You-Know-Who is back. Everyone outside of the school tells me I am troubled and need to go get help.’’

‘’Asking for help isn’t bad.’’ Abraxas taught. ‘’It is quite rewarding.’’

Harry wrinkled his nose. He didn’t want to admit it. ‘’I can only rely on myself and my friends. And Sir-‘’ Harry caught himself. It was too late.

Abraxas had understood. ‘’Snape is dead. Do tell your secret friend. He may enjoy learning this.’’

‘’How is he head? Why?’’ Harry’s veins froze over with horror, the blood stopped trickling, his heart ceased its pumping. He had expected this, but having it confirmed was a lot more startling.

‘’He is a Death Eater, Harry.’’ Abraxas pulled up his long sleeves to reveal naked forearms. ‘’The Dark Mark binds you to Voldemort for life. Snape relinquished his hold on his own life by giving himself up for the Dark Lord’s services.’’

‘’You-Know-Who killed him?’’ Harry phrased it as a question, but he knew.

Abraxas nodded. ‘’That is what one does to turncloaks, Harry.’’ He eased himself to his feet and stretched, making small groans as he did so. He was an older man, after all. ‘’I am retiring now.’’ He tossed Harry the cigarette box. ‘’Go nuts.’’

Harry didn’t smoke it all. But he did keep the box how a girl might a flower from her crush. He couldn’t believe his life. Harry groaned as Abraxas’ form receeded and he climbed down the tower.

He had a crush on a **_teacher_**.

* * *

That night he dreamt of making love to Abraxas and that had to be the most inconvenient dream he’d ever had. A part of him really, really wished that he could somehow get a prescription for dreamless sleep without going to Madame Pomfrey. This was insane.

In his dreams Abraxas always looked much younger than he was now. Around his thirties, really.

When Hermione asked him if he was still having those nightmares and if that was why he was wasting away- Harry panicked and said that he was just stressing about exams. Hermione looked like she didn’t buy it.

‘’Really?’’

‘’Yes.’’

‘’You’re stressed about OWLs and not You-Know-Who?’’ She deadpanned.

Harry nodded. ‘’That bloke isn’t doing much right now, is he?’’

‘’OWLs are a more imminent threat, yes.’’ Hermione conceded. She nodded. ‘’All right, I’ll believe you.’’

Umbridge chose that moment to make an announcement that she was not a dictator and how dare people compare her to one.

‘’Blimey.’’ Ron said and stabbed an egg with a fork. ‘’That woman’s mental.’’

‘’You’ve just now realised this?’’ Hermione gawked.

Ron shrugged. ‘’Eh, I’m stating it now.’’

Harry glanced over to the staff table and saw Abraxas Malfoy chatting up Minerva McGonagall.

* * *

Umbridge got colossally screwed when Hermione’s last straw had been snapped. She organized a coup d’état and said that she’d done arithmancy equations that told her, vaguely, that today was a good day to strike her defences and defeat the evil which had infilitrated their lovely school.

‘’Nobody is going to come between me and my perfect OWL score!’’ She shouted and charged.

Most of the teachers avoided this and watched from the side. Filius Flitwick even gave pointers how to cast spells, as he was a professional dueller. Abraxas told the children not to kill anyone. It was very sound advice.

Umbridge got what she deserved. And nobody dared to mess with Hermione Granger.

‘’It’s always the muggle raised academics.’’ Abraxas nodded sagely.

Minerva McGonagall laughed alongside Millicent Bulstrode in glee that the Terrible Cat Lady had been dealt with.

* * *

‘’What’s You-Know-Who doing?’’ Harry dared to ask Abraxas after he’d gone to his office after hours. ‘’Dumbledore’s gone and I don’t think he’ll return soon.’’

‘’Umbridge is gone. He will.’’ Abraxas answered. ‘’Come on, Number Six, talk to me about your woes and troubles. What ails you?’’

Harry held his tongue. But he repeated his question from before, masking his real worry. ‘’What’s Tom Riddle up to?’’

‘’No doubt scheming how to kill you in more convoluted ways than you can possibly imagine.’’ Abraxas tapped his fingers together and gazed at him madly. In a haunting voice he said, mimicking a ghoul, ‘’Perhaps he will wait until your OWLs and kill you right before them, making all of the studying you’ve done redundant!’’

Harry hoped not. That would be very bad timing.

‘’Do you fear him?’’

‘’No.’’

‘’Because you were… lovers?’’

Abraxas blinked. ‘’My, _oh_ my. Sirius has spilled this cauldron, hasn’t he?’’ He chuckled, a tad awkwardly now. This was not a topic that he wanted to speak about with a student. ‘’Tom and I were a lot like you and your Ron friend. I was his first friend, he told me once. Ron is your first friend, correct?’’

‘’You’re reading my mind.’’ Harry finally understood how Abraxas knew the things he did.

‘’Trust me, that is the least of your worries.’’ Abraxas’ kind voice turned harsher. ‘’I am not the Ministry’s hound, nor Dumbledore’s dead spy. For you, Harry, I am the only one who sees what you are and how that may save your life.’’

‘’You’re talking in code now.’’ Harry groaned. He clasped his head and continued, in an aggravated manner. ‘’I thought you weren’t Dumbledore!’’

‘’Ah, but I am a sneaky Slytherin!’’ Abraxas admonished, now playfully because he had become amused by Harry’s cry in outrage. His hair was braided and he tossed the part tied with a purple ribbon across his shoulder. It was just a nonchalant gesture to the man.

Harry’s face flushed. ‘’Have you spoken recently with Tom Riddle?’’

‘’What a loaded question! I could say I haven’t and you could believe me when in fact I’d spoken to _Lord Voldemort_.’’ Abraxas clucked his tongue at him disapprovingly and continued speaking about this topic, while wholly evading the one Harry had brought up.

* * *

He dreamt of Abraxas Malfoy. It was most intoxicating a phenomenon. He hoped Dumbledore returned so he could confide in someone about this. It would be awkward and it would be horrifying, but Harry was losing his sleep and mind and waking up hot and bothered. This was no way to live.

* * *

Hermione caught Harry admiring the cigarette box and told him off for five whole minutes about the dangers of smoking and breaking the school rules about such things.

Harry gently reminded her that she’d broken all of Umbridge’s rules (at the time considered the school’s) when she’d conquered her in battle.

Hermione scoffed and said that being a revolutionary didn’t impede her heathl like smoking did.

Harry stepped on the cigarette he’d only gotten a few hits of and closed the box, promising Hermione he’d dispose of the cigarettes. ‘’I’m keeping the box, though.’’ It wasn’t up for discussion.

* * *

While Dumbledore was missing Abraxas paraded around at a couple of classes while wearing a diadem that he swore was not at all the long lost diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw. ‘’It’s just a very cheap knock-off.’’ He promised.

Somehow nobody believed him, but they also didn’t believe that Abraxas Malfoy wouldn’t sell the long lost diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw were he to have it in his possession.

He placed it on Harry’s head one time and said: ‘’Look at you, Sixer – finally a ten!’’

All of the Ravenclaws cried outrage at this: ‘’A diadem, even if a knock-off, that supposedly belongs to our Founder is not a measly FOUR, kind sir!’’

Abraxas gave the children one of those smiles of his that made his posture lax. ‘’You are such precious fun.’’ He said at the end of one class.

Just as quickly as Harry wore the diadem, Abraxas took it away and wished everyone a productive day. ‘’OWLs don’t matter!’’ He shouted. ‘’They’re propaganda!’’  
  
Hermione had plenty to say to that, though luckily for everyone she needed to get to Charms on time.

* * *

Abraxas kissed Harry in his dream and when Harry woke up he screamed because Abraxas Malfoy, the professor, the real human being, the not-dream one – was in his dormitory and telling him to keep quiet. ‘’It’s time to cash in that favour, remember? You are to come with me someplace.’’

Harry looked around the dorm and noted how everyone was still sleeping soundly, as if not having heard Harry screaming or Abraxas Malfoy shushing him.

‘’What did you do to them?’’

‘’To them? Nothing. I made a soundproof bubble around us.’’ Abraxas hoisted Harry out of bed and told him to dress. ‘’Come on, come on. I hear Dumbledore is going to return any day now and I cannot leave things unfinished like this.’’

Harry dressed quickly and once this was done Abraxas told him that they would be sneaking out of Hogwarts and apparating once they left the grounds proper. ‘’Think of it as a midnight adventure.’’ In the dark Abraxas’ eyes glowed that faint, shimmering silver.

Voldemort’s had glowed similarly, but that had been with hatred and malice. Harry never could figure out what it was that Abraxas Malfoy felt.

They strode across the Hogwarts grounds, following along a pathway that took them up to Hogsmeade. In the dark it was less easy to navigate. Harry stumbled a few times and he noticed that Abraxas did not. Perhaps he could see in the dark with those fairy eyes? Harry wouldn’t be surprised if that were the case.

‘’Where are we going?’’ Harry wondered. He hurried to match pace with the wizard.

He didn’t answer at first, appearing to have lost himself in his thoughts. Harry asked him again, raising his voice this time. That was when Abraxas made a small, prompting noise.

Harry changed his question: ‘’Who or what is waiting for us?’’

‘’A loose end.’’ Abraxas answered as cryptically as possible. He even grinned that shite-eating grin of his when Harry groaned. How could he expect anything less from Abraxas Malfoy?

‘’Would it kill you to give me a straight answer?’’

‘’Ah, the only part about me that is straight is my hair.’’

Harry closed his eyes at this pun, tripped over a stick, and fell onto Abraxas – who caught him and told him that he did not like Boy Heroes who fell into his lap so easily. ‘’Mon chou is the jealous type, too.’’ He further explained. Harry sputtered in utter horror.

* * *

They arrived in the Ministry very easily. ‘’Fudge lets me do whatever I like as long as I promise to fund his political campaigning.’’ Abraxas explained. ‘’Asinine man by nature, but he has his uses.’’

Abraxas knew where they were going and it did not take Harry long to figure out that his best bet of surviving this night would be if he only followed Abraxas and posed no questions. Tall shelves full of spheres encased them, crafting long and mysterious hallways to peruse.

‘’Your full name?’’

‘’Harry James Potter.’’

‘’A _five_? Oh no wonder you are an utter disaster. You have a seven in your head. And you are the sixth! No, no this explains everything.’’

Harry liked to think that he wasn’t stupid for following what appeared to be a slightly unhinged man into a very weird and creepy Ministry room – but he doubted that was the case. This time trouble hadn’t found him, but he had agreed to go on a stroll with trouble himself.

‘’What’s your number then?’’

Abraxas scoffed. ‘’It takes a five to know a five. At least you aren’t a seven. Merlin, now that is a difficult man.’’

‘’Speaking ill of me, Abraxas?’’ A voice cut through the air like an elegant and foreboding presence. Harry’s feet stopped moving. He turned towards the source of the voice and saw the same crimson eyes that had cooled him to the core in the graveyard.

‘’Mon chou!’’ Abraxas clasped his hands together and smiled. ‘’How good of you to join us. I thought you were against my plan.’’

‘’I am.’’ Voldemort agreed. He tilted his head curiously how an owl might right before devouring the mouse Harry felt like he emulated. No, he clasped his hands into fists and puffed his chest out, mustering up enough energy and boldness to glare fiercely at Voldemort. The man seemed to ignore this in favour of watching Abraxas scanning each sphere of light for information.

‘’Have you gotten to the prophecy then?’’ Abraxas asked.

‘’That’s why we’re here?’’

‘’He didn’t tell you?’’

Harry cursed when he remembered that Voldemort was a very dangerous and unstable individual who was speaking to him as if that traumatizing event at the graveyard had not happened.

The man turned to Abraxas and asked: ‘’You didn’t tell him?’’

‘’I couldn’t take my chances! What if he’d said no?’’

‘’What if he says no, now?’’ Voldemort parried. He strolled leisurely towards Abraxas. Loftily he held a wand in his hand and motioned with it for Harry to come follow them into the unknown. ‘’Come along, Harry.’’

‘’Harry, do get a move on! We haven’t all night.’’ Abraxas called.

Harry narrowed his eyes carefully as he passed by Voldemort.

‘’Do you know that six is a worse number than five but a better number than seven?’’ Abraxas asked.

Voldemort kept looking at Harry. Harry kept trying to catch up to Abraxas and feel at least slightly less unsafe.

‘’How goes that joke?’’ Voldemort hissed out a laugh, merging English and parseltongue, ‘’Why is six afraid of seven, yes?’’

‘’Don’t you start now. A child is present!’’ Abraxas playfully admonished. Voldemort cracked a small, barely noticeable smile. It baffled Harry.

‘’Harry James Potter – here it is!’’

Harry was instructed to take the sphere and slam it as hard as he could onto the ground.

Voldemort told Harry that doing this was a complete and utter waste of resources and that it dishonoured all of the dead that had died in 1981. ‘’We owe it to these people to hear it out.’’

‘’Harry, you don’t owe anything to anyone anymore.’’

‘’You’ll just … not stop me if I try and smash it?’’

‘’We did things my way in 1981. Now, we are doing things how Abraxas likes.’’

Abraxas looked quite the dashing peacock as he strutted around with his feathers and knowingly cawed that he was right and everyone else was terribly, horribly wrong.

‘’If I break it does that mean you’ll stop?’’ Harry found it easier to speak to Voldemort, as horrifying still he was to look at, now that Abraxas was around.

‘’Stop what?’’ Voldemort asked.

‘’Yes, Harry, do be specific.’’ Abraxas taught.

Yes, right, sneaky Slytherins. How could Harry have ever forgotten?

‘’Will you stop trying to kill me and my friends?’’

‘’I am not a man of many wishes-‘’

‘’The boy asked you a simple question sweet Morgana, not your entire life story.’’

‘’-yes, Harry Potter, I shall stop trying to have you killed. If your friends deem that standing in my way is their prerogative then neither you nor I can really help the outcome. My advice is to get smarter friends if you worry this may become a problem. However, I think you are a sensible boy underneath all of that manipulation and hero-worship you have for Dumbledore and I think you will do what is right and have us both hear the prophecy –‘’

Harry smashed it.

Voldemort looked at the shattered remains of the sphere. ‘’Fine.’’ He turned to Abraxas. ‘’Quit your job, you’ve done everything you’ve wanted, dear Abraxas mine. Bring this creature to Hogwarts and come home. The peafowls miss you terribly.’’

‘’You didn’t think he’d listen to me.’’ Abraxas laughed. He sauntered over to Harry and hugged him. ‘’Finally this whole prophecy nonsense is settled for good!’’

‘’I had hoped he would not listen to you.’’ Voldemort admitted defeat. He hated doing so. It was obvious by the way he crushed his teeth together. ‘’But your mathematics does not err.’’

‘’And just think of what would have happened in a world wherein you didn’t get me that calculus book as my 17th birthday present?’’

‘’Catastrophe.’’ Voldemort played along and amped up his voice to show terror. ‘’Perchance I still would have believed Snape to be on my side. Maybe I would continue hunting Harry Six Potter, Boy Who Is Gawking At Us.’’

Abraxas turned to Harry. ‘’Yes, child? Come along. I’ll return you to Hogwarts first thing and then I’m going to muggle Montenegro.’’

‘’It is beautiful this time of year.’’ Voldemort allowed. ‘’If you discount for the civil unrest and the PTSD-riddled locals who’d recently survived a civil war. Oh it’s _grand_ then.’’

Harry did not know how sarcastic Voldemort actually was. It seemed to be something that only Abraxas could bring out without it being condescending.

Abraxas laughed, though, and Voldemort seemed to enjoy that very much.

Harry trailed after them awkwardly. He didn’t quite know what had happened – but he knew that whatever moment he had become privy to disappeared the moment Albus Dumbledore appeared.

‘’Harry!’’ Dumbledore beckoned for Harry to come to him. ‘’It is dangerous here. What have they made you do?’’

‘’It is settled already.’’ Voldemort said. ‘’Your prophecy is gone.’’ He aimed his wand at Dumbledore. ‘’Harry Potter is not your pawn any longer.’’

‘’You believe you can defeat me in combat, Tom?’’ Dumbledore condescended. ‘’If you truly believed so you would have defeated me a long time ago, back when you were in your prime.’’

Voldemort hissed and a serpent made of fiendfyre emerged from his wand. He sent it cascading towards Dumbledore, who sprung up a patronus that battled it.

Abraxas took out his wand and sent a cutting hex straight at Dumbledore’s throat. The man pulled up a shield before it could hit it. His shields held strong and Abraxas cursed.

‘’Abraxas,’’ Dumbledore spoke sadly, ‘’you have disappointed me greatly. I had such high hopes for you when you were a student. You need not fight on the side of a madman who has done nothing for you.’’ He spoke, honestly (and what a treat that was) ‘’loving a man who cannot love you back is an arduous and painful fate. Do not waste your whole life burning a candle for a monster.’’ Then, as he avoided most of Voldemort’s attacks and even sent a couple of his own, he addressed Harry: ‘’Harry, my boy, I did not expect this from you. Whatever lies Abraxas has filled your head with, please, I urge you to discard them. You must defeat Voldemort. It cannot be me. It must be you and only you. Your mother’s love has saved you from a man who cannot love.’’

Voldemort, who had kept fairly silent during this monologue, finally shouted: ‘’How has no one choked you with your own tongue?’’

Abraxas chortled. He told Harry that the adults were handling this and that his only job was to lay low until all of this blew over. Harry found that that was cheating. Hadn’t he been led to believe that fighting great fights like this was his true life’s calling? It simply wasn’t fair.

‘’Harry!’’ Dumbledore spoke, frantically now at having both Abraxas and Voldemort casting against him. Even then he still seemed to be unable to lose the battle or his stride.

Harry unsheathed his wand, but found that he’d been spelled immobile by Abraxas. It was his magic apologizing to him and telling him that even though he may not understand any of this now, he would later and he would thank him for this.

The way Abraxas and Voldemort duelled far exceeded even the best duels Flitwick and Minerva put on as a show for them. They moved with grace and in tandem. These two knew how to play off of each other and lead one another towards assured victory. It would be the most beautiful style of duelling Harry had ever seen if it weren’t for the fact that one of them was Voldemort. Harry still didn’t appreciate that murderous fink.

Dumbledore sent a counter spell for Harry and caused him to stagger back to mobility. He heard Dumbledore speaking again, wearier than before. Sweat had broken out across his skin. Voldemort panted heavily, Harry could see the way his chest rose and fell with exertion. Abraxas’ neat hair was sticking in all directions. He was leaning onto Voldemort and awaiting further instruction; fretting what their next course of action would be.

Abraxas raised his wand at Harry and whispered: ‘’If you choose to fight, I won’t be able to protect you.’’

‘’Harry, these people are submerged in the dark arts. You do not want to associate with them. Tom Riddle –‘’ Voldemort twitched at the name. Abraxas held his hand and whispered something to him that Harry couldn’t catch, but made Dumbledore frown, ‘’is incapable of love and it is beacause of this fact that he has sought to destroy the Wizarding world. Do you truly wish to side with them now? Abraxas has manipulated you while I was away and I curse myself for ever leaving when the Ministry came for me, Harry. If I could turn back time and stop myself from letting you become a prey for Abraxas Malfoy and Voldemort’s influence I would do so without hesitation.’’ Dumbledore implored Harry to see reason.

All Harry could see was Abraxas Malfoy telling him that this really had nothing to do with him. ‘’Live your life, Harry. Leave whatever Dumbledore has to say and live _your_ life. Forgive him, if you like, for leaving you with your abusive relatives and making sure that you hated yourself and thought so little of yourself that you believe dying for others is the only way you would properly thank everyone for being nice to you.’’

‘’But –‘’ Harry’s mind swam. Voldemort and Dumbledore were holding each other’s gazes and fighting via it if not with wands still. Abraxas was the only one that was left for Harry to speak to, ‘’but he’s helped me.’’

‘’Doing a few good deeds does not nullify the bad ones, Harry. It just deflects your attention off of the bad ones and tells you to look at the shiny nice things.’’ Abraxas explained patiently. ‘’You have truly been wronged and for this I am so sorry. I promised I’d settle everything, didn’t I?’’ He smiled, but his eyes were very sad, ‘’I’m doing this now. Someone ought to.’’

Dumbledore looked away first if only to say: ‘’Harry, Love is the greatest power of all. If you worry that you cannot win against Voldemort then let me assure you that you are wrong. Love conquers all and this is the power the Dark Lord knows not. He has been born of a love potion and therefore he cannot –‘’

‘’Say ‘cannot love’ one more time, I dare you!’’ Abraxas fired off a cruciatus curse at Dumbledore. He avoided it in a knick of time before it crashed into him. Harry’s eyes widened. ‘’I will not have you nattering on about that prophecy shite any longer. Divination has been disproven in most circles unless it comes directly from a fairy seer. You are doing mental gymnastics trying to justify the fact that you do not want to fight Voldemort and have chosen to pawn this responsibility onto Harry – who is – mind you – a CHIILD.’’

Dumbledore refused to yield his stance. He kept repeating how Voldemort’s incapability to love led him to be this monstrously evil.

Abraxas groaned with the exasperation only a man who had something on his chest for a couple of decades could groan. Voldemort hissed something that Harry didn’t catch. It didn’t matter really, when Abraxas Malfoy said: ‘’For your information, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, this so called incapable of loving or forming long-term relationships person right next to me has been MARRIED to me for OVER THIRTY YEARS!’’

The silence in the room was palpable.

Dumbledore opened and closed his mouth.

Harry began to understand that those dreams were in actuality memories of the two husbands.

It was only Voldemort that seemed to be able to do something in this state of shock the whole room had been flung into. He used this moment as an opportunity to send a killing curse at Dumbledore. Dumbledore sprung into action to avoid it, but it grazed him; and unfortunately for Dumbledore, he died knowing that Voldemort had had a longer and healthier relationship with his lover than Dumbledore himself had.

Abraxas thought that the ultimate revenge.

‘’Seeeeeeee.’’ Abraxas sing-sang.

Voldemort buzzed with excitement. He had a lopsided smile on his face. ‘’I killed Dumbledore.’’

‘’Seeeeee what happens when we do things MY way, mon chou?’’

Voldemort still had that expression on his face. He couldn’t shake it off. ‘’This is fantastic.’’ Abraxas laughed and pulled them into a kiss.

All in all, when Harry returned to Hogwarts that night he had a lot of questions. Though the one Abraxas decided to tell him was that Harry didn’t actually have a crush on him: ‘’I am not your type nor is it appropriate for you to have a crush on a teacher. Though, your feelings can be explained because you have a piece of my husband’s soul inside of you and that man really, really fancies me.’’

It would explain a lot, Harry conceded.

‘’Have a nice life now, Harry!’’ Abraxas wished him. ‘’My husband and I are going to take over Britain now. Tell all of your friends not to be heroes or spies and they’ll survive to see the new day.’’

The most surprising thing about living in a Voldemort run world had to be how much different it was from how everyone imagined it.

‘’Constructing a new system all from the ground up is taxing work.’’ Abraxas explained one time while he had Harry over for tea. ‘’Just plastering all our names over the office doors is a lot easier.’’

‘’Huh.’’ Harry said.

There really wasn’t a better word to encapsulate how he felt.

* * *

The End


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